The Influence of the Media and Effective Factors on the Participation of Users of Watershed Management Projectsin Tekab and Shahindej Cities of West Azarbaijan Province

Lack of awareness of rural people is the main factor in the destruction, erosion, and change of natural resources. Therefore, rural development programs should be pushed towards participatory management to preserve and restore natural resources. Modification and change of behavior is done when the beliefs of the rural community change. Most people believe that preserving natural resources is one of the duties and powers of governments. But the fact is that sometimes these interventions have been destructive. Since the development of human resources is one of the basic principles in participatory management, And participatory management in rural communities is implemented at an optimal and effective level when the gap between the past generation and the rural youth can be resolved by developing education in the field of awareness regarding the correct handling of natural resources. the first step is to develop and improve the awareness and knowledge of human resources through a change in behavior, attitude, and individual skills. The infrastructural limitations of villages and their limited access to education and communication facilities make educational and promotion media one of the most important means of transferring information, knowledge, and skills to rural people.

This research, using the survey and documentation method, try to investigate the participation of residents of watersheds in West Azerbaijan province (Takab, and Shahindej) in watershed management projects and identify the most important influencing factors. The samples were selected using stratified random sampling and the data collection tool was a questionnaire. The face validity of the questionnaire was confirmed by agricultural extension and education experts and watershed experts, and its reliability was estimated to be 82% using Cronbach's alpha.

 Multivariate regression analysis with the combined method showed that income, education, and the amount of media use are the most important influencing factors in public participation. Also, there is a positive and significant relationship between the influence of the media and the active participation of the village people in watershed projects.

Therefore we conclude that, the use of educated rural youth to produce, publish or use the media can significantly contribute to increasing the participation of villagers in watershed management projects.